Question

agree or disagree? read each statement and determine if hobbes and locke would agree.

1. there are no laws in a state of nature, and people are always at war.

agree
disagree

1. government is needed to create laws, protect people and provide services.

agree
disagree

1. the ruler should be someone that has complete power and cannot be overthrown if the people are unhappy.

agree
disagree
on the statement where they disagree, explain how locke saw things differently.

Explanation:

1. For the first statement: Thomas Hobbes argued the state of nature was a lawless, constant state of war. John Locke believed the state of nature had natural laws (life, liberty, property) and was not always violent.
2. For the second statement: Both thinkers agreed government's core role is to establish laws, protect people, and provide order/services.
3. For the third statement: Hobbes argued rulers had absolute, unoverthrowable power. Locke believed rulers who failed to protect natural rights could be overthrown by the people.
4. The disagreement is on the ruler's power and the state of nature; the explanation focuses on Locke's view of the ruler's power as conditional.

of Locke's differing view: Locke believed political rulers held power as a trust from the people, to protect their natural rights to life, liberty, and property. If a ruler violated these rights or ruled unjustly, the people had the right to overthrow the ruler and establish a new government.

Answer:

1. "There are no laws in a state of nature, and people are always at war."

• Hobbes: Agree
• Locke: Disagree

1. "Government is needed to create laws, protect people and provide services."

• Hobbes: Agree
• Locke: Agree

1. "The ruler should be someone that has complete power and cannot be overthrown if the people are unhappy."

• Hobbes: Agree
• Locke: Disagree